PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Zlatan Arshavin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tito Ortiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Arshavin
vs
Ortiz

170 cm
25
135 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

160 cm
24
144 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zlatan Arshavin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tito Ortiz!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Sergei Dronov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arshavin throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ortiz's waist but Ortiz gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Arshavin off to one side.
Arshavin scores with a body shot.
Arshavin tries to clinch but Ortiz moves out of range.

Arshavin gets caught flat footed, as Ortiz shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Arshavin wants to get back to his feet but Ortiz passes into half guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Well, if Ortiz is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Arshavin is trying is best to control the position here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arshavin slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Arshavin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arshavin is trying to keep Ortiz in close.

Arshavin looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Arshavin wants to sweep here but Ortiz controlling him for the moment.
Arshavin looking to control.
Ortiz has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Bobby B's Gem. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Arshavin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Ortiz is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ortiz wants to get up but he can't break Arshavin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Arshavin wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Ortiz manages to pass to side control.
Ortiz prevents Arshavin from standing back up.
Ortiz wants to stand up but Arshavin has a hold of him and won't allow it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Ortiz closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin tries to pull guard but Ortiz holds him up against the cage and eventually Arshavin drops back down to his feet.
Ortiz drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Arshavin gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Ortiz is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Arshavin can't fight it off and eventually Ortiz manages to take the fight to the floor. Arshavin looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Arshavin wriggles free and stands up.
Arshavin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ortiz but Ortiz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zlatan Arshavin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arshavin wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Arshavin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Arshavin misses with a takedown attempt

and Ortiz counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Arshavin!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ortiz tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Arshavin struggling a bit here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ortiz tries to get to his feet but Arshavin is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Ortiz in his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tito Ortiz will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Arshavin is looking to clinch.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Ortiz checks a leg kick.
It seemed like Ortiz was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

Ortiz clinches.
Ortiz stalling.
Arshavin drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Arshavin tries to pull guard but Ortiz holds him up against the cage and eventually Arshavin drops back down to his feet.

Ortiz gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Arshavin pushes Ortiz off and gets back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ortiz dodges the punch combination from Arshavin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortiz moves out of range as Arshavin throws a body kick.
Zlatan Arshavin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ortiz has closed the distance and engaged Arshavin in a clinch.
Ortiz prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zlatan Arshavin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arshavin can't get the takedown.
Ortiz is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Arshavin is defending well.
Arshavin jumps guard but Ortiz turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Arshavin is trying to stall.

Arshavin ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Arshavin no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Ortiz decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Arshavin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ortiz pinned against the cage. Ortiz gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ortiz.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Arshavin gets control of Ortiz's arms and successfully pulls guard. Arshavin will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Ortiz has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Arshavin is proving hard to escape from.

Ortiz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Arshavin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ortiz has managed to get both his arms back between Arshavin's legs - danger averted.

Arshavin looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Ortiz passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ortiz in particular looking to stall.
Ortiz prevents Arshavin from standing back up.
Ortiz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Ortiz seems to be working for a kimura but Arshavin defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Arshavin desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Ortiz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ortiz seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Arshavin throws a sloppy head kick and Ortiz moves out of range easily.
Ortiz throws a counter combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tito Ortiz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Arshavin tries for a takedown but Ortiz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Arshavin is looking to clinch.
Ortiz checks a low kick from Arshavin.
Ortiz takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Ortiz instigates a clinch.

Ortiz wants the takedown. Arshavin is fighting it off but Ortiz persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Arshavin's guard against the cage.
Arshavin controls Ortiz momentarily but Ortiz frees himself.
Ortiz working some strikes from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ortiz distracts Arshavin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Arshavin wants to stand up but Ortiz is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arshavin pushes Ortiz off and scrambles back to his feet.
Arshavin shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ortiz defends it nicely.

Ortiz rushes Arshavin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Arshavin fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zlatan Arshavin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arshavin wants a takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arshavin jumps guard but Ortiz stands there with Arshavin around his waist. Arshavin gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz has Arshavin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Arshavin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Ortiz gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Arshavin regains guard.

Arshavin wriggles free and stands up.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ortiz bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Ortiz stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Ortiz moves out of range of the body kick from Arshavin.
Arshavin lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Arshavin throws a series of punches but Ortiz avoids them all with ease.

Ortiz shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Arshavin kicks Ortiz off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Arshavin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ortiz stuffs the takedown.
Ortiz throws a counter combo.

Ortiz looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Arshavin wants to get back to his feet but Ortiz passes into half guard.
Tito Ortiz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ortiz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ortiz lands strikes from half guard.
Ortiz trying to pass the guard but Arshavin defending well.
Ortiz wants to stand up but Arshavin is controlling the position.
Zlatan Arshavin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ortiz wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Arshavin uses the opportunity to regain full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Zlatan Arshavin.
I think Ortiz has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:30

The fight is ruled a draw!